"My Lyla?" Asher muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible as the words escaped him. A low chuckle followed, one that lingered in the air, dark and unamused. His eyes stayed fixed on the closed door through which Zuri had just stormed out.
She had left while he was home....
That had never happened before, not once in their five years of marriage. The thought gnawed at him, the unfamiliar sensation of unease creeping into his chest. Momentarily, he felt disrupted, and it left a peculiar tightness behind.
But the feeling was fleeting.
"Asher? Is everything alright?" Lyla's soft, sweet voice broke his thoughts. Her delicate hand rested gently on his shoulder, making him focus on her.
Asher turned to her, his lips curving into a gentle smile—a simple one that had won and broken millions of hearts.
"All good," he replied smoothly, his tone laced with calm assurance.
The flicker of mischief in his eyes returned as if he had snapped back into the role he played so well. He wrapped his arm around Lyla, pulling her closer with an ease that made her flush slightly.
"Come on," he said, leading her toward the living room. "Let's continue."
With every step, the tightness in his chest faded further. By the time they settled with their glasses of wine, Asher's mind was back where he wanted it—on control, appearances, and the game he had always known how to play.
Lyla took a delicate sip of wine, her eyes wandering around the room with curiosity. "Your house is beautiful. I would love to have a place like this someday," she said softly, her gaze settling on Asher's with a hint of something unspoken.
Asher leaned back, the glass in his hand catching the dim light as he swirled its contents. "Hmm," he mused, a mischievous glint lighting up his features. "It's Zuri's magic you are admiring. If you like it so much, you could ask her to redo your room. She's quite the decorator."
Lyla's smile faltered slightly, though she quickly masked it, her lips curling into a polite curve that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I don't think Zuri liked my presence," she said, her voice quieter as she shifted closer to Asher, closing the gap between them.
Asher didn't move; his posture relaxed, and his eyes followed her every movement. He tilted his head slightly, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Didn't you hear? She has plans with her friends," he said, his tone light and unbothered, though his eyes gleamed with something more calculated.
Lyla frowned, her gaze lowering momentarily before she continued, "She didn't talk much during dinner. She hardly ate. And she didn't even glance at you once." Her voice was careful, yet the pointed edge of her words was deliberate.
"Zuri's an attention seeker," Asher replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't let her fool you, Lyla."
"You are sitting right next to me, yet here you are, thinking about her." He leaned forward slightly, his tone dropping into something quieter, more coaxing. "Her tactic worked."
Lyla blinked, her cheeks flushing faintly as Asher's words sunk in. She straightened, trying to regain her composure, but the faint crack in her confidence didn't escape him.
Asher took a slow sip of his wine, his expression unreadable now.
Finishing her entire glass of wine in one go, Lyla set it down with a soft clink against the table. She cleared her throat, tilting her head as she fixed her gaze on Asher.
"Won't you show me your house?" she asked, her voice smooth though laced with a trace of something bolder.
Asher wanted to roll his eyes at the question but stopped himself, keeping his expression neutral. His focus was unflinching as he studied her.
"That's the work of the woman of the house," he replied coldly.
Lyla blinked, her smile faltering ever so slightly before she recovered.
'Why is she behaving so... ordinary today?' Asher mused silently, the thought creeping in with an edge of irritation. 'Did she catch Zuri's dullness like some contagious affliction?'
Everything about her today—the way she moved, the way she spoke—felt like a poorly rehearsed script.
'All the clichés,' he thought bitterly. 'Words and actions I have seen a thousand times before.Instead of simply asking him to head to bed, they choose to play the part of the naive and innocent until they reach his bed.'
He rolled his eyes inwardly, wondering if they thought this little charade would actually work until they finally made it to his bedroom.
'Once your eye falls on a married man, innocence becomes a lie you can no longer claim. When will women learn this simple truth?'
He drained the rest of his own wine slowly, savouring the burn as it slid down his throat, his gaze never leaving Lyla. His smirk grew slightly wider, but the warmth never reached his eyes.
"Let's satisfy your curiosity," he said, rising to his feet with an air of lazy confidence. Extending his hand, he added, "Come on. I'll give you the grand tour."
*
*
*
Zuri didn't know where she should go. She considered heading to her mom's place, but she was certain that would lead to nothing but a lecture, and she wasn't in the mood for that. Instead, she made her way to the bridge, a place where people usually walked during the day and evening. Now, it was quiet at night, the only sound the rush of the river beneath her.
The strong wind whipped against her face as she strolled alongside the river, sending her hair flying in every direction. She had forgotten her hairband, and now she probably looked like she hadn't seen a brush in days.
Cars sped by on the driveway, their headlights streaking through the dark like distant stars. The emptiness of the night felt strangely comforting, far more than the suffocating atmosphere at home with a woman called Lyla—occupying her space, her husband and her life.
Zuri couldn't help but wonder what they were doing right now, alone.....together. Did they go straight to the bedroom, or did it start on the couch itself? The thought made her stomach twist in knots and she quickly pulled her phone from her pocket. No calls. No messages. She left the home in anger but couldn't Asher tried harder to stop her? He did nothing like that.
What was she expecting from Asher.... she thought sadly. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip in frustration, and she didn't even notice the blood until the metallic taste hit her tongue. She didn't stop biting, her anger only intensifying as she walked.
Suddenly, a loud crash pierced the silence. She froze, eyes wide, as a car slammed into another right in front of her, crunching metal filling the air.
Zuri's lashes fluttered rapidly, her breath quickening as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Beads of sweat formed at her temples, and her body began to tremble involuntarily. Her teeth ground together. Her fists clenched so tightly over her chest that her knuckles went white as if she were trying to hold onto something solid.
The world around her blurred as the buried memories surged to the surface, a suffocating one. She almost could feel the heat of the car's engine, the sharp screech of tyres, and the moment of impact.
It was as if she were back there, in the midst of the traffic junction, the flashing lights and the chaos swirling around her. And then Kevin. His face, contorted in rage, behind the wheel. The way the car had come at her with terrifying speed, striking her with a force that nearly took her life.
Zuri's heart raced as the life and death images played in her mind, her body betraying her as it trembled uncontrollably. The world felt distorted, as if she were caught between two realities—she stood frozen in terror in the present while the haunting memories of that horrifying accident from the past consumed her.
She took a shaky step back, feeling as if the ground beneath her was giving way. Just then, a strong, steady hand grasped her arm, preventing her from falling. She wobbled, her knees threatening to buckle, but the handheld firm drew her into a steady embrace.
Zuri, taking a moment to steady her breath, turned to face the person. "Kevin?" she exclaimed, spinning around with surprise.